A total of 4,113 m of diamond drilling in 51 holes was completed during the 2008 program. Difficult ground conditions were encountered in several near surface holes with 40 of the holes completed to their target depths. Results from the 2008 program include the expansion of the area of mineralization within the Plata Thrust to over 500 m down dip and 850 m along strike and the surface discovery of a previously unknown area of gold and silver rich material (0.81 to 75.80 g/t Au and 101 to 19,931 g/t Ag in discovery grab samples). A number of new geophysical targets were also identified.

After drilling was completed, high grade mineralization was discovered in trenches that tested the new area of gold and silver rich material. These mineralized exposures are particularly important because they confirm continuity between two previously identified showings and suggest good potential for additional discoveries of this type of mineralization elsewhere on the property. Chip samples from two trenches located 200 m apart averaged 1060 g/t Ag, 3.57 g/t Au, and 6.6% Pb over 1.87 m.

Based on the positive results, the drills, camp and equipment have been cached on the property.

All analyses referred to in this news release were performed at ALS Chemex in North Vancouver, BC. The samples were collected and handled in ways that ensure security, including chain of custody procedures. Two blank and two standard samples were randomly included in every batch of 32 core samples. Each sample was analyzed for silver, gold and 32 other elements. Gold and silver analyses for high grade samples involved fire assay followed by gravimetric finish (Au-GRA21 & Ag-GRA21). Gold analyses for low grade samples involved fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy (Au-AA25). Analysis for a multi-element package that included silver was done by inductively coupled plasma combined with either mass spectroscopy or atomic emission spectroscopy (ME-ICP61a). Samples that exceeded the detection limit for lead were reanalyzed using three-acid digestion and HCl leach followed by inductively coupled plasma coupled with atomic emission spectroscopy or atomic absorption spectroscopy (Pb-OG62).

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Robert C. Carne, M.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101.

Forward Looking Statements

This document may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, success of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of resources; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Intervals shown are lengths of core. All holes cut across the vein athigh angles but contacts are often irregular; thus true widths cannotalways be reliably calculated. Intervals followed by (i) signify holeintercepts in the P-4 vein and represent 95-100% of the true width ofthe vein. Intervals followed by + signify hole intercepts in the P-3vein and represent 80-96% of the true width of the vein.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this news release.